A Soul's Past
by BlackHellfire
Summary: Katara smiled sadly as she walked away from Zuko, the tears long gone but the bitterness still remained, she ignored the angry shout that escaped Zuko's lip's,she ignored the thump as he fell to his knees ever so bitter.


_Long ago when man had first been given the gift to bend and the first avatar was created, there at that time surfaced the legend of the Blue Spirit and the Painted Lady. It was said the Blue Spirit was the son of Agni the god of fire, and the one who looked after the people of fire, but the Blue Spirit even though he was the son of the god of fire was never respected and always looked down upon because he was never a powerful firebender like his father, in fact he wasn't a firebender at all and Agni looked down at his son in loathing because of it, because it showed that the Blue Spirit was weak. And that he, Agni, was weak. _

_And then there was the Painted Lady she was one with her element, she was like the very essences of water itself just like her mother Tui, and just like her she was a wonderful waterbender and a gifted healer, she was compassionate and kind and she was a beautiful spirit and many spirits recognized her beauty and tried for her hand but she always refused. You see she was a sad spirit because many would see her for her beauty and her skills, but never her, never what's inside and that upset her until she met the Blue Spirit. _

_When they had met and first laid eyes on each other it was like everything fit in place. And when they were together, they would feel complete two halves of one whole, they were deeply in love but not everybody agreed with them. And when Tui and Agni found out they were both angry, they tore the Blue Spirit and the Painted Lady apart and had forbidden them of seeing each other ever again. And Agni in his rage had cursed the Blue Spirit to have the revolting and terrifying face of a monster, the Blue Spirit in his shame ran and hide himself from the Spirit World. _

_The Painted Lady searched for century's for her long lost love as did the Blue Spirit but they never found each other. A couple more centuries's had past and the Painted Lady in her grief finally confronted her mother, she begged and pleaded for her mother to allow her to see the Blue Spirit. Since Tui was the moon she saw everything under the cover of darkness from both the spirit world as well as the mortal world and she had seen when the Blue Spirit had hid himself away but against her daughter's pleas she did not tell her where he was. _

_Time had passed and Tui, sad to see her daughter always so sad made an arranged marriage with Noatin the spirit of the ocean's current's in hopes her daughter would be happy again without the Blue Spirit. But the Painted Lady was still not happy and Noatin grew angry with her and jealous of the Blue Spirit for making the once so happy and beautiful Painted Lady sad and depressed, so he sought him out. When Noatin had finally found the Blue Spirit much later he issued a fight the Blue Spirit in his sad and depressed state did not put up a fight and Noatin killed him with one of the Blue Spirits very own blades. He went back to the Painted Lady triumphant and happy with his victory but when the Painted Lady found out, horrified she ran to the spirits body and wept and in her bitter anger and sadness took her own life so that she may join the Blue Spirit in the mortal world. _

_And because of their deaths they both became wandering spirits in the mortal world helping and doing whatever they could for the mortals, both yearning for one another. And their love was so strong and pure that it was rumored that they reincarnated into Oma and Shu two mortals who ever loved so deeply and purely as the Blue Spirit and the Painted Lady themselves… _

Iroh finished his story, and everyone looked at Iroh in amazement of hearing such a sad tale. Katara looked across the camp fire and met the intense gaze of molten gold; Katara sat frozen as they stared at each other's eyes transfixed on one another as if in a trance… Katara felt herself getting lost into those flickering gold orbs of Zuko's. But she blinked and the spell was severed both pairs of eyes snapped away from each other and looked around the camp fire but not each other.

After everyone had left and the once roaring campfire turned into a few smoldering embers Katara found herself alone with Zuko.

After a few heartbeats of silence Zuko spoke softly his word's piercing the dark, "Do you think friendships can transcend lifetimes?"

Katara whispered her word's equally soft, "Yes."

Zuko stared into the remains of the fire before he voiced his thoughts speaking quietly as to not disturb the quiet lull of the night, "Do you think love can last after death?"

Katara looked at him questioningly before she eventually answered his question, "Yes I do if that love is pure and deep it can go through the hands of death and back… love will always find a way."

Zuko stared at Katara as she said this an unfamiliar emotion coursed through Zuko's amber orbs before it disappeared as fast as it had come.

OoOoO

Katara looked at Zuko sadly as he talked to Mai, his wife, and Mai smiled at something he had said; the whole Gaang was at the ball held on the day the hundred year war ended, fifteen years had passed and it also has been fifteen years since they had that talk by the camp fire, and fifteen years since Zuko had taken a bolt of lightning to the heart for her, and fifteen years that they never talked about it and drifted apart.

Katara sighed and looked down at the cup she held in her hand, she swished the contents around in the cup bored, her thoughts drifting around idly, her eyes narrowed angrily at the cup the beverage starting to frost slightly at the edges, realizing what she was doing Katara sighed again before she put the cup on one of the nearby tables covered in a deep green silk and walked outside into of the many gardens in the Ba Sing Se Palace.

She looked at the beautiful pond at her feet too engrossed in her thoughts to hear the light sound of footsteps until a warm hand was on her shoulder, startled Katara turned around to find herself looking into the intense yet kind amber eyes of Fire Lord Zuko, Katara nervously cleared her throat, "Z-Zuko what are you doing here?"

Zuko answered back concerned, "Looking for you, you looked distraught. Is everything alright?" Zuko unconsciously tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear causing Katara to look at him, question's swimming in her beautiful lapis lazuli eyes, Zuko's hand froze his fingertips barely touching her cheek sending sparks of electricity through her, before he snatched his hand back after it lingered longer than necessary looking embarrassed, and immediately her face felt colder, number without his warm touch.

Zuko coughed out nervously, "Sorry that was completely rash of me I shouldn't have touched you like that, with you being married to Aang-

"Stop!" Katara blurted out, Zuko's eyes widened at her outburst but before he could apologize she shook her head silencing his unspoken apologizes.

Zuko asked hesitantly, "Is everything alright with you and Aang?"

Katara drew in a sharp breath suppressing a sob hating herself every minute that this conversation lasted, "E-Everything's perfect but I don't want to be married to him I never wanted to be married to him."

Zuko looked at her concerned as she struggled not to cry, "W-Why did he hurt you?"

Katara laughed sharply, "N-No it's not like that it's just I never loved him romantically."

Zuko frowned, "Then why did you marry him?"

Katara frowned angrily her words cold and sharp, "Because everyone started calling me the avatar's girl and suddenly I was his girlfriend when he didn't even ask me he just figured I loved him back the way he did and then everything started falling to pieces and I couldn't break up with him because then the whole world would start calling me a floozy for breaking the avatar's heart."

Zuko took Katara into a hug both secretly relishing being close to each other, Zuko whispered his word's muffled by Katara's hair, "Katara the world can call you a floozy but you deserve to be happy and after everything you did they owe you that much, but Aang was being rash and stupid and that was not right on his part he should have seen that you were not happy and broke it off."

Katara asked hesitantly her word's also muffled by Zuko's chest, "Enough of me and my marriage troubles…. how are things with you and Mai?"

Zuko stiffened before he sighed into Katara's hair breathing in her vanilla and rain scent, "They're…. good but it's dull and I've stopped loving her."

Katara cracked a smile after they let go of each other, "Looks like we're both in relationships that we don't like."

Zuko nodded before he whispered, "Do you remember the story uncle said about the Painted Lady and the Blue Spirit?"

Katara nodded and spoke softly, "It's all I think about now."

Zuko smiled ruefully, "Same here."

Katara turned to Zuko the party that they left from a distant hum in the background, "Zuko I ne-

Zuko silenced her words gently pressing his thumb over her petal parted lips, her breath hitched from the gentle and intimate gesture, Zuko said quietly and softly, staring deeply into her eyes, "Shh."

They stood like that for what seemed an eternity basked in the soft light of the moon in the lush garden. Zuko gently cupped her face marveling at how soft her skin was, he gently brushed his thumb over her cheek bone, they stared at each other with a look as old as time itself Zuko leaned in and softly kissed her reveling in how… right this felt.

He broke away and leaned his forehead against hers; their pant's mingling with one another. A few tear's leaked from Katara's eyes, she turned around, her back facing him while she cried silently Zuko alarmed put his hand on her shoulder but she turned toward him angrily, she wiped away her tears glad she wasn't wearing any makeup and said quietly her voice drifting softly through the wind, "I hate you…

Zuko masked the hurt that he felt but before he could turn on his heel and walk away Katara finished her sentence her voice a mere whisper, "… because I love you."

Zuko looked at her sadly his voice deathly quiet, "I know…because I feel the same way."

Katara looked up, she met his sad eyes with her own both of their heart's breaking in the process; they loved each other but couldn't be together it was fate's cruel joke.

Katara walked silently up to Zuko his lean, tall and imposing figure encompassing her smaller more delicate and feminine form, Katara reached up and put her hand delicately over his heart, his chest vibrating with the hearts strong and steady rhythmic beat the same one that had taken lightning for her, he looked at her with eyes that were thick with emotion before he reached a shaky hand and held her delicate hand over his heart, he gave it a small squeeze.

Katara's voice trembled but she carried on tear's making their way down her face silently, " I will always be with you in your heart, we might not be together in this life but in the next if lady fate permits I will be with you every single step in the way."

Zuko's voice cracked as he held onto Katara's hand like a lifeline his own tears streaking down his face, "If I can't be with you in reality then I will be in your dreams, please remember me."

Katara nodded mutely before Zuko hugged her tightly and kissed her softly pouring all his feeling's and passion into that small silent promise before letting her go, Katara walked away numb, the tears long gone but the bitterness was still there hanging above her, Katara ignored the shout filled with sadness and anger from Zuko as well as the angry display of Fire bending, she ignored the thump as Zuko fell to his knees numb like her and ever so bitter, she ignored it and moved on, that memory tucked safely in her heart where none could touch it, it was hers and hers alone and it was hers to treasure.

OoOoO

Up above Agni and Tui watched sadly as their daughter and son separated from each other in the garden, because of duty, and because of responsibility they were torn apart as well as foolishness just like they were centuries ago when they were spirits.

Agni spoke softly to Tui, "It is sad to see them in the mortal world."

Tui nodded her head, "If love can pass death and go through life times than who are we to stop it, and maybe one day they will return but in the meantime we must let lady fate play her song and hope one day that they will return."

Agni nodded it seemed that was the only thing that they could do is…wait. Agni smiled bitterly, it seems like what spirits only do is wait and yet that is why they were gifted with eternal patience.

OoOoO

Years went by and Zuko and Katara aged but Katara always dreamt of Zuko in her dreams and Zuko always found Katara in his heart. Both didn't know it but lady fate was finishing up her song the dance of love, pain, and death was coming to an end.


End file.
